Rubio's South Carolina fundraising trip wasn't all funds and games -- he was also playing defense on the potentially damaging string of stories about his personal and political spending practices during his time in the legislature. "The whole story is based on false premises," Rubio told CNN's Peter Hamby, insisting that family members paid by his political committee were being compensated "for work delivered."

It looks like Republican Sen. Jim DeMint may have an opponent yet in South Carolina. Victor Rawl, a Democratic member of the Charleston County Council and a former circuit court judge, announced his Senate candidacy Monday at events in North Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Spartanburg.

As the shadow of his late father, the iconic Sen. Strom Thurmond, looms large, Paul Thurmond says he will not shy away from his father’s legacy in his campaign in South Carolina's 1st District– but that it would also not be central to his race. “I have no sense of entitlement,” he told POLITICO.

Republican Marco Rubio gave Gov. Charlie Crist's Senate campaign some easy ammunition, confirming a report that the former Florida House speaker plans to travel to South Carolina next month to raise funds there with Sen. Jim DeMint.

Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio took his biggest stage yet at CPAC at 10 a.m. in a speech warmly received by participants. Rubio was introduced by South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, whose mention of Rubio’s primary opponent, Gov. Charlie Crist, drew loud boos from the crowd.